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WHITE 87 Carmen Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Region del Valle Central, Chile BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.50 private wine shops, NB $12.99, NF $12.00, NS $11.50, ON $15.00, PEI $12.98 Much like the previous year look for plenty of grapefruit rind, passion fruit, grassy, lemon, herbal aromas.
WHITE
87 Carmen Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.50 private wine shops, NB $12.99, NF $12.00, NS $11.50, ON $15.00, PEI $12.98
Much like the previous year look for plenty of grapefruit rind, passion fruit, grassy, lemon, herbal aromas. Crisp, round, fresh palate with a hint of sweetness. Grapefruit rind, grassy, lemon, nettle flavours with a touch of passion fruit on the finish. Solid, consistent style. (AG-ST)
87 Caliterra Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2008
Valle de Casablanca, Region de Aconcagua, Chile
BC $12.45 specialty listing, QC $11.75
Nettle, lemon grass, grapefruit, passion fruit, ripe apple aromas. Round, fresh, easy style with a bit of sweetness. Lemon, grapefruit, honey, passion fruit, nettle, grassy flavours. Crisp, juicy finish to go with most seafood. Good value and another, attractive, single appellation white from Chile with style. (AG-ST)
87 Santa Carolina Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2009
Valle de Leyda, Valle de San Antonio, Region de Aconcagua, Chile
BC $12.00 specialty listing, AB $11.75 private wine shop, MB $11.26, NF $11.11, ON $11.95
Zesty grapefruit, jalapeno, lemon, nettle, light lees nose with a hint of passion fruit. Fresh, round, juicy palate with a touch of sweetness. Grapefruit rind, lemon grass, granny smith, smoky jalapeno flavours. Full with good intensity, good value too. A very bright light for Santa Carolina and Chile delivering a modern, important single appellation wine at an incredible price. (AG)
87 Tenuta Villanova Pinot Grigio 2008
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
BC $15.00 specialty listing
This DOC Friuli Isonzo pinot grigio grows on alluvial stony soil that explains the bright minerality and floral aspect. The palate is a mix of fresh fruit and honey with more steely mineral notes. Simple clean and fresh. Good value. Try with seafood and light charcuterie. (AG-ST)
86 Deinhard Riesling Classic 2008
Rheinhessen, Germany
BC $14.00 specialty listing, NS $11.00, QC $13.00
Not quite as terrific as the '07 for the price but still well made, serviceable. Fairly tight limey citrus rind flavours with bits of red apple and citrus. Good value for a mid-week sipper. (AG-ST)
86 Doña Paula Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Tupungato, Central Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $14.00 speculative listing - Mark Anthony Brands, AB $13.00 private wine shops, NF $15.00, NS $13.00
Struck matchstick, melon, grapefruit, gooseberry, light bell pepper aromas. Fresh, soft, round, slightly sweet entry with pink grapefruit, bubble-gum, melon, gooseberry, grassy, light asparagus flavours. Simple, straight up white for summer. (AG-ST)
86 Fetzer Valley Oaks Pinot Grigio 2008
California, United States
BC $12.00 general listing, AB $14.50 private wine stores, ON $12.45
I was expecting this to be California sweet or ripe but was pleasantly surprised by its dryness. Look for citrus and dried herbs on the nose with bits of apple and minerality in the back end. The finish is a touch dry but otherwise good value here in a white wine made for food. (AG-ST)
86 Fetzer Sauvignon Blanc Valley Oaks 2007
California, United States
BC $14.00 general listing, AB $14.50 private wine shops, ON $12.45
Citrus, floral, honey, grapefruit, light bell pepper, passion fruit nose. Fresh, crisp, round, easy style with grapefruit, honey, floral, cooked kiwi, light jalapeno, grassy flavours. Good solid, clean seafood white for the money. (AG)
86 Finca Los Primos Chardonnay 2008
San Rafael, General Alvear, Southern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $11.00 specialty listing, AB $13.00 private wine shops, MB $10.00
Still good value the Los Primos focuses in on green apple skin aromas and cool fruit with bits of peach and orange. On the palate, there is a touch of lees with more pear peach and sweet orange fruit with a fairly well balanced back end. Fresh and affordable drink all summer on the patio. (AG-ST)
86 Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery The Census Count Chardonnay 2008
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $13.00 specialty listing, ON $15.00
Ripe pear, butter, grapefruit rind, floral, baked peach nose. Fresh, crisp, slightly oily and sweet palate with red apple skin, peach, butter, baked pear and melon flavours. Simple, fresh, easy style with solid fruit and value. (AG-ST)
86 Inniskillin Okanagan Chardonnay Reserve 2008
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $16.60 private wine stores
Spicy, floral, green apple, citrus, peach skin, honey, ginger and mineral aromas. Round, ripe, fresh, elegant palate with some sweetness and a touch of oiliness. Lemon, orange, honey, ginger, rose, spicy, baked peach, quince flavours. Good finesse and elegance, just finishes too sweet despite nice acidity balance. Similar to last vintage. (AG-ST)
86 Lulu B Chardonnay 2007
Vin de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, South of France, France
BC $15.00 specialty listing, AB $14.50 private wine shops
Limoux sits along the western edge of the Languedoc and is the source of fruit in the Lulu B chard. Some 85 percent of this white is stainless steel fermented resulting in a nutty mineral peachy scented chardonnay that tastes like it smells. Honey and citrus butter streak its creamy finish. Good value and it is sealed under screwcap. (AG-ST)
86 Moselland Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Kabinett 2007
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
BC $14.00 specialty listing
Fresh fruity, candied apple, floral, peach skin aromas. Fresh, somewhat sweet, round palate with red apple, honey, orange, sulphur, light lees flavours. Simple, easy, fruity style. (AG-ST)
86 Lindemans Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc 2009
South Eastern Australia, Australia
BC $12.00 specialty listing, AB $12.00 private wine shops, MB $11.50, NB $13.00, NF $13.00, NS $13.00, ON $11.00, SK $12.00
This bin has impressed for several vintages now for the price. Always consistently fresh this dry, grassy nettle-scented white flecked with bits of citrus, green apple and lemons. Made for the patio and summer sipping but it is similarly at home with oysters. (AG-ST)
86 Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2008 Grenache Blanc - Bourboulenc - Marsanne - Roussanne - Viognier
Côtes du Rhône Villages, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France
BC $14.00 specialty listing, ON $11.00
Very floral, spicy, chalky, mineral, quince, pear, lemon, slate aromas. Round, fresh, elegant, simple palate but balanced with spicy, pear skin, slate, lemon, floral, chalky, peach skin flavours. Good solid value for current drinking white and representative of the region. (AG-ST)
86 Mount Fishtail Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
BC $15.00 specialty listing
Bright gooseberry, nettle and light jalapeno nose with flecks of passion fruit. Round, fresh and elegant on entry with a slightly sweet palate of green apple and passion fruit flavours with interesting flecks of grass, asparagus, nettle and a lime rind finish. Solid fruit core but the finish is a bit sweet and sour. Try this with Thai food. (AG)
86 Santa Julia Viognier 2009
Mendoza, Argentina
BC $12.00 specialty listing, AB $12.00 private wine stores
A drier version of this grape than the market leader from Chilean producer Con Sur but it isn't without its charm. More apricot and honey are in play here with a flatter, perhaps oilier mouth. A perfect mid-week white for chicken or creamy pastas dishes. Fine value. (AG-ST)
ROSÉ
87 Montes Cherub Rose of Rosé 2008
Valle del Colchagua, Valle del Rapel, Region del Valle Central, Chile
ON $17.00
This pink has a promising zippy start with bright acidity and just the right amount of sweet berry fruit. There is some mid-palate tension and tartness (yeah) with a dash of white pepper in the finish. Fun fruity, and yes a touch weighty this is eminently sip-able rosé on the patio or with a selection of tapas. (AG-ST)
RED
87 De Angelis Rosso Piceno 2007 Montepulciano - Sangiovese
Marche, Italy
BC $15.00 specialty listing, AB $14.00 private wine stores
Very deep black cherry colour. Meaty, black cherry jam, spicy, smoky, saddle leather, licorice, savoury aromas. Rich, ripe, round, full bodied palate with a touch of tannins. Big black cherry, spicy, peppery, olive, tobacco, dark chocolate, meaty, gamey, smoky flavours. A tad rustic but good solid fruit and value. (AG-ST)
87 Menguante Garnacha Old Vines 2007
Cariñena, Aragon, Spain
BC $15.00 speculative listing - Christopher Stewart Wines
What do you get when you mix 80 year-old, organically farmed garnacha grapes, fermented naturally, with not a lot of new wood? A juicy, bright, little red wine, full of mineral and bright red fruit flavours for $15. Low tannins and a dry finish make it food friendly. Try it you'll like it. (AG-ST)
87 Pascual Toso Malbec 2008
Maipú, Northern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.00 private wine shops, ON $13.00, QC $14.00
Consistently well made is the story of Toso. Always rich and savoury it offers plenty of liquorice and sweet black fruit up front and a warm, minty, peppery, smooth back end. A crowd pleaser without a lot of complexity but plenty of long showy fruit. Steaks anyone. Great holiday party red. (AG-ST)
87 Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Maipú, Northern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.00 fine wine shops, MB $12.00 private wine shops
Peppery, smoky, spicy, meaty, cassis, floral, earthy, tobacco aromas. Smooth, round, easy style with cassis, smoky, peppery, earthy, licorice, spicy flavours. Good solid, forward style to drink now for general consumers. Solid value. (AG-ST)
87 Santa Carolina Reserva Pinot Noir 2008
Valle del Maule, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $12.00 speculative listing - Charton-Hobbs
A Cono Sur look-alike with bright, if slightly herbal pinot fruit with raspberry/cherry aromas and dry earthy undertones. The entry is soft and supple as it slides down easily. Fine varietal character for the money and you can drink it now. (AG)
86 Bishop's Selection Côtes du Rhone Villages 2007 Grenache - Syrah
Côtes du Rhône Villages, Southern Rhone, Rhone Valley, France
BC $13.99 specialty listing
A southern Rhone blend the 07 Bishop is clean and bright with a cedar-y, spicy berry nose and a similar palate. Like the previous version there is some obvious mid-palate acidity poking through which tends to enhance the dry leather notes in the finish. Still quite a good deal for the price and a piece of cheese or grilled meat will smooth out that acidity. Ready-to-drink. (AG-ST)
86 Caliterra Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2008
Valle del Maipo, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $12.00 specialty listing
Slightly reductive with cassis, rooty, peppery, sausage, cedar and tobacco aromas. Round, fresh, soft palate with chocolate, menthol, cherry, sappy, spicy flavours with some light, cedar-y tannins on the finish. Simple but full for grilled meats. Good value for cabernet drinkers. (AG-ST)
86 Carmen Merlot 2007
Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $14.00 specialty listing, AB $13.50, NB $14.00, NF $12.98, NS $12.00, ON $11.00, PEI $13.98, QC $13.20, SK $12.99
Spicy, peppery, black olive, cassis, cherry, herbal, tobacco leaf aromas. Soft, supple, round, fresh palate with black olive, cherry, cedar, rooty, earthy, peppery, tobacco, cedar bark flavours. Solid if a bit herbal but has good texture. (AG-ST)
86 Castaño Monastrell 2007
Yecla, Valencia and Murcia, Spain
BC $12.00 specialty listing
Slightly reduced nose under screwcap that cleaned up with a few minutes air. Drier than last year (yeah) it's a mix of earth, black cherry raspberry fruit with bits of liquorice and mocha. Soft easy sipping with a pinch of acidity in the finish. A solid barbecue red that I would highly recommend but nowhere near a 90 point experience some are claiming. (AG-ST)
86 Castaño La Casona Monastrell 2007
Yecla, Valencia and Murcia, Spain
BC $9.50 specialty listing
Okay here you go super cheap and tasty. Look for black cherry, pepper, floral, chocolate notes with savoury aromas. The entry is soft and supple with a pinch of rustic tannins but with good body. Chocolate, peppery, dried herbs, black cherry, fig and liquorice root flavours impress for the price. Good fruit and intensity makes this a great value and under screw cap means it every bottle will likely be as sound as this one. Believe it or not the wine is dry-farmed, (no irrigation and that keeps yields naturally low) and the vines are 40 to 60 years old. All for $9.50. Back up the truck and load up. (AG-ST)
86 Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2008
Valle del Rapel, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $11.49 general listing, AB $13.00, NS $11.99, ON $10.45
The latest '08 builds on the tradition of soft easy sipping pinot-flavoured fruit with spicy, liquorice root and black cherry flecks. Good mid-palate sweetens and with and earthy forest floor finish. Roast chicken, turkey or soft cheeses will pair well with this. As usual it is very good value pinot. (AG)
86 De Martino Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 347 Vineyards 2007
Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $15.00 speculative listing - Whitefish Group
Tobacco, peppery, sappy cassis, bay leaf, savoury aromas with a touch of leather. Fresh, round, dry, lightly astringent palate with cedar bark, cassis, black olive, tobacco, rooty, resin, smoky herb flavours. Solid Maipo red wine style. The fruit is a 65/10/25 mix from Maipo, Cachapoal and Maule. (AG-ST)
86 Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon Valley Oaks 2007
California, United States
BC $15.00 general listing, AB $16.00 private wine stores, MB $15.00, ON $15.00, QC $16.00
This is simple, straight up cabernet with the emphasis on simple. Look for cedar, some sour black cherry fruit a touch of spice and a soft finish. Think hamburgers or spaghetti Bolognese. A light version of the venerable grape. (AG)
86 Finca Flichman Malbec Oak Aged 2008
Mendoza, Argentina
BC $11.00 specialty listing, AB $10.00 private wine stores, QC $9.00
Very spicy, savoury, peppery, licorice root, black cherry nose. Soft, dry, round, easy palate with spicy, smoky, rooty, black cherry, poultry spice and chocolate flavours. Simple well-made malbec that offers some pretty serious value. (AG)
86 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau (Painted Bottle) 2009
Beaujolais, Burgundy, France
BC $14.35 specialty listing, ON $14.95
Good dark cherry colour. Spicy, floral, banana, black cherry, licorice aromas. Round, dry, soft, fresh palate with black cherry and cranberry juice, licorice, banana, red apple and mineral flavours. Very fresh, juicy finish to go with duck or turkey. Solid value. (AG-ST)
86 Johnny Q Shiraz Viognier 2008 Shiraz - Viognier
South Eastern Australia, Australia
BC $15.00
Liquorice, floral, meaty, rooty, blackberry, tobacco, mocha aromas with a light jammy note. Round, full, soft, supple palate with a hint of sweetness. Big raspberry jam, tobacco leaf, bitter chocolate, licorice, rooty flavours. Finish is a bit warm and soupy but many will find this style attractive. (AG-ST)
86 Luis Felipe Edwards Shiraz Reserva 2008
Valle del Colchagua, Valle del Rapel, Region del Valle Central, Chile
QC $13.00
Liquorice root, coffee, meaty, cherry jam aromas. Soft, round, simple style with menthol, bay leaf, peppery, black cherry, meaty, coffee flavours. Good solid fruit if a bit reduced under screwcap. Well balanced and solid value. (AG-ST)
86 LoTengo Malbec 2008
Luján de Cuyo, Northern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
BC $12.49 specialty listing
Over the years LoTengo has always been good value if a little rustic and but at $12.50 a bottle you have to consider it well worth buying. Look for dark spicy red fruit with smoky undertones. The flavours are a mix of cedar, resin and cherries with good acidity and fine overall balance. It finishes dry and soft. Think barbecue ribs. (AG-ST)
86 Lulu B Shiraz 2006
Vin de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, South of France, France
BC $15.00 specialty listing
Cleaner on the nose than previous versions with ripe, dry, peppery syrah. A firmer mid-palate this time out with dense, dry fruit flecked with plum flavours. Simple, well made and more Euro now which is a good thing. Keep this handy around the barbecue. (AG-ST)
86 Man Vintners Shiraz 2007
Coastal Region, South Africa
BC $12.00 specialty listing, AB $11.00 private wine shop
Spicy, meaty, smoky, menthol, liquorice root, floral, black plum jam with a hint of tobacco and leather. Round, fresh, slightly warm and tart palate with blueberry, black berry jam, coffee, smoky, savoury, meaty, liquorice, vanilla cream flavours. Much more Oz in ripeness and styling and has solid fruit offering good value in the category. (AG-ST)
86 Navarro López Pergolas Old Vines Tempranillo 2006
Valdepeñas, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
BC $11.00 specialty listing, AB $12.00, QC $15.00
Peppery, black olive, black cherry, rooty, licorice, floral, vanilla aromas. Round, dry, light, elegant palate with a dusting of tannins. Black cherry, licorice, orange, mineral, smoky, resin, tobacco flavours. Fresh, easy finish with ripe fruit for pizza, ribs or meat. Solid value. (AG-ST)
86 Palo Alto Reserva 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon - Carmenère - Syrah
Valle del Maule, Region del Valle Central, Chile
BC $15.00, AB $14.00 private wine stores, MB $14.00, NS $13.00
The blend is a 55/30/15 mix of cabernet sauvignon/carmenère/syrah from Maule and it has a typically dried herb bay leaf nose with black cherry aromas. The plate is soft and round with herby, dried cherry fruit flavours bits of cedar, coffee and smoky oak. Solid effort. (AG-ST)
86 Portada 2006 Touriga Nacional - Tinta Roriz - Castelão - Alicante Bo
